The Atlanta Music Festival is saddened to learn of the death of world-renowned opera star, Jessye Norman at 74. Born and raised in Georgia, Ms. Norman gave one of her last performances ever when she starred as the featured artist in the 2016 Atlanta Music Festival.
This Festival is an annual event that draws on the concert music and spirituals of African Americans, an enduring legacy which is now shared throughout the world and which Ms. Norman did much to advance throughout her highly successful career.
We will always be grateful for the contributions that Ms. Norman made to African American concert music and the world of opera and are honored that she participated in our historically important Festival with its message of racial reconciliation and unity.
It is with fondness that we will remember her when we celebrate the release of the 2016 Festival recording at the 2019 Atlanta Music Festival on November 2nd at First Congregational Church.
Watch Jessye Norman perform “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” at the 2016 Atlanta Music Festival:
Watch Jessye Norman perform “Come Sunday” at the 2016 Atlanta Music Festival:
Steven Darsey and Dwight Andrews remember Jessye Norman in an interview with CBS46. https://www.cbs46.com/news/she-was-a-giant-among-us-musicians-remember-opera-icon/article_c95283f4-e4a5-11e9-af5f-73b2f13dbc41.html
More details can be found at http://www.atlantamusicfestival.org/
